


5 times Sam and Jack share a bed

by AmyJ10



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: 5 Times, Angst, Cliche, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Resolved Sexual Tension, Romance, Sharing a Bed, Smut, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-06-27 23:17:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15695370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmyJ10/pseuds/AmyJ10
Summary: The bed is small, too small for two people who don’t seem to want to touch each other.





	1. Season 3

**Author's Note:**

> We all know that this is the oldest cliche in the book. It's something that has been done to death but here I am resurrecting it.
> 
> This looks at 5 times that Sam and Jack shared a bed at various stages of their relationship. These will be a mixture of angsty and fluffy.
> 
> Here we go...

“Carter, would you just stop thinking?” He sounds angry, angrier than he had intended. They had travelled to P3X wherever the hell it was just a few hours ago, and immediately they people of the town had made it clear that unmarried woman had no rights and no voice. Jack hadn’t really thought about it, he’d just said it; sure it looked like Daniel was about to say the same thing but he just happened to get there first. He’d told the locals that she was his wife, and here they are. 

The bed is small, too small for two people who don’t seem to want to touch each other. He’s kicking himself for piping up before Daniel, he didn’t realise this was part of the deal. 

He feels her tense next to him as she responds quietly. 

“I’m trying, Sir.” 

Her calling him Sir at this moment in time feels so incredibly wrong but he’s not about to encourage her to call him Jack, no that’s just a step too far. He feels like he needs those barriers, just for tonight. He also feels like he should apologise, he shouldn’t have snapped at her, he just wants them to go to sleep, to wake up and to get out of this bed. 

He thinks back to just an hour ago when they had been lead into the room, he’d watched her eyes widen as she clapped eyes on the bed. She’d offered to take the floor, just before he could, but there’s barely any room either at the foot or side of the bed, the person would have to sleep under the bed. They both agree that it would be silly for either one of them to do so and that sharing a bed isn’t a big deal. 

But it is. 

Things with the team haven’t been great since he returned from Edora and then went off on his undercover mission, and out of all of them, its Carter he’s struggling to reconnect with the most. He doesn’t know why but she seems angrier than Daniel and Teal’c. He’s tried to talk to her about it but she shuts him down, as politely as an insubordinate can. She says it’s fine but it doesn’t feel fine. 

When the townspeople had left them alone they had decided that sleep was the best idea and immediately he began to strip his vest and weapons and she had done the same. 

Then she’d stopped, hesitating when it came to the next layer. She’d suggested sleeping in clothes, he’d agreed.

He lies on his back, staring at the ceiling and she does the same. He’s been trying to get to sleep for thirty minutes but he can feel that Carter is wide awake and it makes him feel uncomfortable. 

Before Laira it had been years since he had shared a bed with someone he knew and cared about. He frowns as he thinks about that word, care. He cares about Carter, that’s normal, she’s on his team. He cares about Daniel and Teal’c too. But, if he’s honest, really, really honest with himself, he’s starting to notice some differences in the way that he cares for her compared to the rest of the team. He thinks it’s because she’s a woman, that’s natural right? He’s spent two years seeing her as one of the guys and of course, she’s attractive but that’s not it, he knows that’s not it because he is perfectly capable of noticing that someone is attractive without it having to be a big deal. Sometimes men and women are just different, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing, and it explains why he’s feeling differently towards her than Daniel and Teal’c who he also cares about. 

He’s had one night stands, trysts with women who he knew didn’t want anything more than his company in bed, he’s no saint. Laira had been something different, once he’d accepted that he wasn’t going home he realised that she could be good for him. He’d shared her bed, made love to her but then left her the very next day. He’d realised as soon as he’d seen his team that while he could have been happy on Edora, it never would have been his first choice or even his second. 

Jack frowns, he shouldn’t be thinking about that while he’s in bed with his 2IC. He wonders if that’s why Carter is mad at him, for giving up? For accepting the potential of a new life? Maybe it was about Laira? He frowns again, no, it’s not jealousy. 

The harsh words he’d spoken to her whilst undercover can’t have helped things. He’d tried to apologise but she was certain it was fine and all forgotten, but clearly it’s not. She hasn’t genuinely smiled at him in weeks, she hasn’t laughed at any of his stupid jokes; He misses her laughter. 

 

SJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJS

 

Sam stares at the ceiling, relieved that Colonel O’Neill hasn’t tried to make small talk. Instead he got into the small bed and stared upwards, just as she had.  
This couldn’t have happened at a worst time. Just weeks ago Janet had asked her if her feelings for him were a problem, she had denied it, of course, but she had lied. She doesn’t know when it happened, she can’t quite put her finger on it but something has changed. She has always admired and respected him but when he was gone, trapped on another planet, she realised that it was more than that. The thought of never seeing him again had almost crushed her.  
Then, he was back and gone again. He’d been cruel, all for an undercover mission, but cruel all the same. She knows that he was following orders but it had felt like she had lost him all over again, this time by choice and it hurt just as much, if not more. 

She’s so angry at him for his carelessness and his cool attitude over the last few weeks but than that she’ angry at herself. She’s angry that she’s developed a crush on a superior officer, angry that it could jeopardise her future in SG1 and she’s scared, scared that it’s not a crush, that it could be something more. 

And here she is, lying in a bed with him, he’s so close to her and yet so far they’ve managed not to touch. She’s been trying to keep her distance from him, she’s unsure if it’s because she’s angry at him or because she’s trying to control how she feels about him. He’s apologised several times, she’s assured him that it’s all fine but it’s not fine. She doesn’t know what to do. 

She freezes as his hand accidentally grazes hers. 

He mumbles an apology before he turns to he turns his head towards her and meets her eye. “I’m sorry, Carter.” He repeats, hoping that she knows what he’s sorry for. He’s sorry for giving up hope, for thinking for even one second that she wouldn’t get him home. He’s sorry for not finding a way to tell her about his undercover mission, for telling her that he hasn’t been himself since he met her and for insinuating that she didn’t really know him because she does. She knows him almost better than anyone in the galaxy and he’s made her think otherwise. 

“I know,” she offers softly, unable to lie and tell him that everything’s fine while they are so close. She watches as he visibly relaxes in front of her, it’s discreet but she notices. Is it relief? 

After a few moments of silence, of simply staring at each other he breaks the tension. “’Think they could have found us a smaller bed?” 

For the first time in weeks, she laughs.


	2. Season 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's lying flat on his back in a bed that he doesn't recognise and there’s Carter, leaning over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place a little while after the Zatarc incident.

“Sshhh, it’s okay.”

He hears her voice as he slowly opens his eyes, he feels something cold brushing across his forehead. He can barely see anything, it’s dark with only a small candle in the corner of the room of the room for light. Everything is hazy. He is lying on his back in a bed that he doesn't recognise and there’s Carter, leaning over him, pressing some sort of cloth against his forehead. 

“…happened?” he croaks. 

“You’ve had a reaction to an insect bite,” she speaks softly, trying to hide the relief in her voice. He had been unconscious for hours. As soon as the insect had bit the blood had drained from his face, it had taken minutes before he’d dropped to the ground, his body convulsing. 

“Hot…” he mumbles, he feels her shift on the bed and then she helps him to lift his head before pouring some water into his mouth. 

“You have a fever.” His skin is clammy and sticky, she’s spent the last few hours sitting with him, mopping his brow. She had wished, several times, that she could have asked  
Teal’c to carry him to the gate, but as luck would have it they’d been informed hours after gating to this planet that the SGC was on lock down after SG6 brought an unknown virus through the gate. Hammond had informed Jack and the rest of SG1 that the virus was potentially life threatening and warned them to stay where they were at all costs. 

The village elders had offered a cure, something they claimed works one hundred percent of the time but it didn’t stop the fear from seeping into her veins. She couldn’t lose him.  
She had spoken with Janet through the malp, the doctor had advised her to keep her CO as cool as possible and so she did. Daniel and Teal’c helped her to strip him to his boxer shorts, something he has yet to notice.

Daniel and Teal’c are in the next room, they have come in to check on his several times but she was insistent that she should stay with him. Just a few months ago they’d confessed their feelings in front of Janet, Teal’c and Anise and although they’d been pretty good at pretending that it hadn’t happened and carrying on with normal life this is a moment in which she can’t pretend. 

“Carter,” he rasps, blindly reaching for her hand. Everything feels foggy. 

“I’m here, Sir.” In moments he is asleep again. 

** 

Sam dips the cloth in the cold water and dabs it against his skin, his neck, shoulders and chest. 

He groans something incoherent and jerks in his sleep. She pushes away from him, just a few inches, giving him space to move. 

He’s been crying out in his sleep all night, things that she couldn’t make out, names of men she didn’t know, fallen comrades. She knows that a high fever can bring on hallucinations and she can’t help but wonder what he is seeing. She’s sure that she’s heard Daniel’s name somewhere, maybe Teal’c as well. 

She has never seen him so vulnerable.

“No…”

“Sir, it’s okay. You’re okay,” she whispers, scooting forward pressing the cloth against his forehead. She allows her fingers to gently trail his cheek bone as she whispers words of comfort. 

“Charlie.”

She freezes as he breathes out the name she had never heard him speak before. Her fingers continue to stroke his cheek as she swallows the lump in her throat. 

“Charlie…Please….” He cries out, stretching his hand out before him, reaching for something that isn’t there. “Charlie,” his voice breaks and he lets out an anguished cry. 

“It’s okay, Jack” Sam whispers, reaching for his hand and holding it, wishing that she could take this pain away from him. “You’re okay.” 

**

A few hours later it’s her name that he’s crying out as she tries to calm him. When he slowly wakes, his eyes are wide with confusion. 

“Carter,” he brings his hand to her cheek. “Couldn’t leave you…” he speaks so quietly as his fingers trail her cheek bone, he’s weak but he’s desperate to know that she’s there. 

“I know. I’m right here,” she covers his hand with her own. “I’m here.”

** 

It takes another few hours for his fever to break, she watches as he sleeps soundly, no more demons to fight. 

When he finally wakes he has no recollection of what has happened and the first thing he does is reference his state of undress. He tries to crack a joke before he takes a proper look at her. 

“Get some sleep,” he tells her, he doesn’t need to ask if she’s been with him all night, he knows that she has. She nods, lowers her head to the pillow and closes her eyes. 

When Daniel enters the room a little while later finds them fast asleep on opposite sides of the bed, he decides to let them sleep, they have hours before they’re meant to contact General Hammond to see if it’s safe to gate back to earth. He takes one last look at his teammates before quietly making his way back to Teal’c.


	3. Season 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Carter,” he starts, unsure of what he should say. He hopes that she’ll spot him and snap into action, that she’ll apologise for making him worry and assure him that she’s fine. It’s selfish, but that’s what he needs from her right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those of you who have taken the time to read or to leave a comment. I'm really glad that you are enjoying these.

He’s been looking for her for three hours, Hammond had called and alerted him to the fact that he hadn’t been able to contact her for a couple of days and had given him the mission of checking that on her. She hadn’t been at her house, or the gym, or the park or anywhere that he knew that she would usually go so here he was, at his last option before he started to panic. 

He trudges through the small apartment stepping over piles of books, it never ceases to amaze him how much crap a person could fit into one tiny place. He hasn’t been here for a while and if he’s completely honest it’s the last place that he wants to be, he isn’t ready. Still, he takes a deep breath and moves towards the rest of the apartment. 

He’s relieved when he finds her but he instantly feels a jolt of something that he isn’t ready to face yet. He steps into the bedroom, which is much neater than the rest of the place and there she is, lying on the bed, still. 

“Carter,” he starts, unsure of what he should say. He hopes that she’ll spot him and snap into action, that she’ll apologise for making him worry and assure him that she’s fine. It’s selfish but that’s what he needs from her right now. 

She doesn’t respond. 

“Uh, Hammond was worried about you. He says you always check in when you’re on downtime… It’s been a few days.” Again, no response. He takes a step towards her but stops, unsure of what he should do. Daniel would know. He sighs, Daniel would know. 

It’s been two weeks since he died or ascended or whatever the hell he did. Two weeks since he’s heard the voice of his friend, since he’d been irritated beyond belief by the younger man. It’s been two weeks. Jack had been amazed by how his team had kept it together in that time. They’d fought and won against Osiris, they’d managed an entire mission without one of them breaking down. 

After the mission Carter quietly admitted that she missed Daniel and he’s ashamed to admit that he’d shut her down, reminding her that Daniel had made a choice and that they had to respect that. He isn’t ready to face this yet, he’s not sure he ever will be. Their team mate, their friend is gone. 

Everything in the apartment screams Daniel, this is, after all, the place where he lived. There are items that look like they could be from Abydos all over the room and just a few photos. There is one of Daniel’s parents just next to his bed on a small set of drawers, there is a photo of Sha’re and right next to it is a photo of SG1. It’s a one he’s never seen before, one of the four of them off world on one of their first missions, when Daniel was insistent on taking photos of everything. They look so young, Daniel stands in the centre, Jack is leaning on his shoulder while Carter has an arm around the younger man’s waist, Teal’c stands on the end, it’s before the days when he would allow himself to show emotion so there’s no smile, but there’s a warmth in his eyes. Jack’s heart begins to sink. He needs to focus, he needs to get Carter up and out of here. 

“Carter-“

“Sir…” she starts, her voice thick with emotion, she sounds like she’s been crying. “It’s fine, I just need a few minutes.” She’s so tired. She doesn’t know when she last slept for more than a few hours. She hadn’t intended to end up in Daniel’s apartment, or on his bed but she needed to feel close to him. Their last mission had happened so quickly she’d barely had the chance to accept his passing let alone mourn. 

The last two weeks have been a blur and it seems as though everyone has moved on, like they have simply accepted his passing because it was his choice to ascend and ascension doesn’t mean death, but it feels like he’d dead, he’s still gone. 

She’d just needed something to remind her of his life and his loss, so here she was. She’d made her way into the apartment and stopped almost instantly, it smelt like him. The grief hit her almost instantly and for the first time since his death she allowed herself to cry, to really cry. 

She remembers lying in this bed with Daniel shortly after Share’s death. She had visited him for several days and found the same thing each time, Daniel, unable to leave the bed, unable to face the world. She had tried to encourage him to get out of the bed, on the fourth day, after he had begged her to leave him there, to allow him to grieve, she had simply climbed into bed with him. She’d listened as he spoke about his wife, about her life and about how empty his life would be now that she was gone. She had said barely a word, just allowing him to speak until he fell asleep, she had let herself out just a little while later. 

The following day, when she had arrived to see how she was she’d been surprised to see him answer the door, fully dressed, ready to face the world again. 

Now she wonders if she will ever feel ready to face the world again. 

Daniel’s loss is huge. He was their moral compass, the glue that held them together. She can’t imagine a world without him, she doesn’t want to. Daniel had been like a brother to her, a constant source of light and companionship. She had spoken to Daniel about every single part of her life and had had done the same. He knew her better than she knew herself. How was she supposed to carry on without him? 

She doesn’t believe that SG1 will ever recover from this, she isn’t sure how they will function without him, he was the heart of their team, the conscience. They’ll never be the same again. 

She had foolishly allowed herself to believe that SG1 could get through anything, that they would survive almost anything that the universe threw at them, because up until this moment they had. Daniel’s death had been a very painful reminder that any one of them could be gone in an instant. 

She wants to talk, she wants to tell someone that her heart physically hurts, that she misses Daniel so much she can barely stand it, but she can’t. She had tried, once, but Colonel O’Neill had dismissed her and Teal’c hadn’t said a word. She knows that they are dealing with his loss in their own way but that doesn’t help her. She misses Daniel so much. 

“I’ll wait outside,” Colonel O’Neill’s voice shakes her from her thoughts. Sam closes her eyes for a moment, not sure that she can get up, not sure that she can plaster a smile on her face and assure him that everything is fine. She just wants to stay here, where she feels close to Daniel, where she is free to mourn, alone. 

She hears him head for the door and speaks slowly. “Sir, I… I just need some time. You go, I’ll be fine.” She hasn’t moved since he’s entered the room, she continues to stare at the ceiling. 

Jack looks at her, really looks at her for the first time since Daniel left them. He feels like a coward, he’s avoided her and any conversation about Daniel because he’s scared about just how much it will tear him up if he thinks about it for too long. He’s pushed her away, and barely spoken to Teal’c in order to protect himself. 

He surprises himself and moves towards the bed, he plants himself next to her, on top of the covers. She doesn’t move. 

“It’s been a rough few weeks,” he admits, watching as she releases a shaky breath and nods, a single tear slips along her cheek and lands on the pillow. “It hasn’t quite sunk in yet that he’s gone,” he swallows the lump in his throat. He is gone. He feels a deep twist in his chest, Daniel is gone. “I uh…” he exhales, “I uh…I’m not quite sure how we’re gonna get through this one Carter…” His voice breaks and he takes a deep breath, he hears her swallow a sob and reaches for her blindly as he speaks, “but we are gonna get through this.”

His hand finds hers and in seconds their fingers are entwined. He thinks about moving, about pulling her into his arms but he knows that this is enough, that anything more could be too much.

They lie on their backs, eyes on the ceiling, hand in hand for what seems like hours as she silently cries and he finally allows himself to accept the pain of Daniel’s loss. Occasionally one of them will tighten their fingers against the other, a soft squeeze as a sign of support or comfort. 

“We should call Teal’c,” he tells her once her tears have dried, knowing that their teammate needs to grieve too, she nods, pulling her hand from his and pushes until she’s sat up. 

“We could get some food?” She likes the idea of staying in Daniel’s apartment with the Colonel and Teal’c, just for the evening. 

“Pizza?”

**

Teal’c is there in less than an hour. The remaining members of SG1 spend the evening talking about Daniel and all of the things that they are going to miss. They talk through tears and laughter, remembering some of Daniel’s greatest and most ridiculous moments and for the first time in weeks Sam begins to feel like she might be able to face the world again.


	4. Season 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to all of you who have been reading and to those of you who have taken the time to comment, I really appreciate it. This one was always intended to be a whump fic but it went in a slightly different direction that I had anticipated. 
> 
> Thank you so much to 3StarJeneral and SamCarterIsMyMuse for talking me through this one. Thank you also to rsunday for bouncing ideas around with me. 
> 
> Warning: This chapter is much angstier than the others and contains some sensitive topics.

“How’s she doing, Doc?” Jack stands as Carter and the duty doctor move towards him, he’s been waiting in the hallway for two hours, fighting the urge to walk in and find out what the hell is happening. 

He tries not to wince as he takes a proper look at her. She’s covered in dark bruises and deep cuts. There’s a deep gash, now stitched up, running from her ear that travels along her neck, over her collar bone and under her new, clean shirt. Smaller cuts cover her face and arms. There is barely an inch of her skin that can’t be used as evidence of what had happened to her on that planet.  
Her arm cradles her broken ribs as she shuffles slowly towards him. The bastard beat the hell out of her. 

“She’s going to be fine, sore, but fine. I’m happy for her to go home as long as someone is with her for the next forty eight hours. She’ll have to come in every day to get the bandages changed.” 

He wishes that Fraiser was here though he can’t begrudge her for taking a few weeks away with Cassie.

“Teal’c and Jonas already briefed Hammond on what happened,” Jack forgets to mention that he’d refused to go, too concerned with checking that she was okay. “He’s happy to talk to you tomorrow if you’d rather-“

“Tomorrow,” she mumbles, surprising him. He was almost certain that she would insist on doing it today as she usually would. He nods and follows as she slowly limps towards the lift.  


~SJ~

 

Every step hurts but she breathes deeply and grits her teeth, determined to make it to the car without having to stop. Colonel O’Neill walks behind her, carrying her bag. He hasn’t said it but she knows that he’s going to take her home. He hasn’t actually said anything, and for that she’s grateful. She doesn’t have the energy to respond. 

She says nothing as he helps her into his truck but can’t help the strangled cry that escaped her lips as her ribs protest against the move. He keeps his hands on her for a few seconds longer than he needs to before he asks if she’s okay. She nods, breathing through the pain. 

She wants to tell Colonel O’Neill that she’ll be fine on her own, that he doesn’t need to stay but she’s so tired she knows that he will anyway, so she says nothing.

 

~SJ~

 

He glances at her as he drives, watching as she stares blankly ahead. She looks completely exhausted; he doesn’t think he’s ever seen her so subdued. 

His grip on the wheel intensifies as he thinks about how he’d found her. 

The mission had seemed simple, help the Tok’ra to build relations with the Jaffa. They’d been introduced to a new Tok’ra, Aron and his host Maktel, they were leading the mission. He’d immediately attached himself to Carter, charmed by her as most aliens seemed to be. She’d laughed it off when Jonas had brought it up on the first evening but it was clear for everyone to see that Aron had an interest in more than the Tok’ra/Jaffa treaty. 

It hadn’t been an easy mission. The jaffa and Tok’ra were reluctant to agree about almost everything. He remembers sitting with Teal’c one evening, listening as Teal’c admitted that it felt as though someone had tried to sabotage the alliance. He warned that something was not quite as it seemed, as though the little hiccups they had experienced over the course of the mission had actually been small acts of sabotage. From that moment Jack had been on high alert. 

All hell broke loose when Jonas burst into the tent early on the last day to announce that Sam was missing.

 

~SJ~

 

Sam bites her lip as the ache in her ribs intensifies, it will be another few hours before she can take anything for the pain so she concentrates on breathing. She thinks back to how this all started. 

 

_It was her watch, the sun was barely an hour from rising when she heard movement behind her, before she could react she felt a cold blade pressed against her throat._

 

“Carter,” Jack’s voice shakes her from her thoughts. “We’re home.”

 

~SJ~

 

He walks behind her, careful not to touch her even though she is clearly struggling. He knows her, he knows that if she wants his support she’ll lean into him, she wants to do this on her own. 

“Want some food?” He asks, pushing the door closed behind them, watching as she shakes her head. “Shower?”

 

“Can’t.” The doctor had cleaned her up the best she could, scraping as much dirt and blood off of her body and then patched her up. She’d warned Sam not to get her multiple bandages wet. No showers for at least a week. 

 

Sam so desperately wants a shower.

 

She moves slowly towards her bedroom, grateful that she lives in a single storey house. She knows that he is right behind her, she doesn’t care. She can’t wait to lie in her bed, to take the weight off of her aching body and to forget about everything that has happened in the last twenty four hours. 

 

She stops as she enters her room, sighing. As though he can read her mind, in seconds he is at her feet, helping her out of her boots. 

 

“What else?” 

 

He helps her out of her pants and into the pyjama bottoms that lie at the bottom of her bed. He clenches his jaw, fighting the anger that builds in him as he discovers new injuries that cover her legs. 

 

It only occurs to him just how inappropriate what he’s done could look to an outsider after she’s edging towards her bed. He doesn’t care, he knows that he should but he doesn’t, he’d do anything for her right now, rules be damned. 

 

She slowly lowers herself to the bed and moves to lie down, grimacing in pain until her back is flat against the mattress. He’s there, watching, wishing that he could make it better. 

 

It scares him that she’s so quiet, she’s said barely a word since her release from the infirmary. He takes a step forward and helps her to reach for the sheet, pulling it over her. 

 

He leaves and returns with water and pills, even though it will be a while before she can take anymore. 

 

“I’ll be in the spare room?” he asks. She nods, granting permission as she struggles to keep her eyes open.

 

~SJ~

 

He can’t sleep. He can’t stop thinking about how he’d found her, about those seconds where he thought that she was dead. He’d found her weapons just a few miles from their camp with no sign of her or her captor. Jonas had run towards both he and Teal’c with information, “Apart from Sam there’s only one person who’s unaccounted for.”

It had been Jonas that had spotted the clearing in the bushes, he’d quickly confirmed the trail of two people. Jack sent him to get Teal’c, if this was what they thought it was then they would need him. 

_Jack moves forward, unable to wait for his team to get back, he crouches as low as he can and follows the trail, praying to whoever will listen that he’s not too late._

_He sees him first, lying on his stomach, still. It takes just seconds to spot her, she’s underneath him, trapped between his body and the ground. “Carter!” He runs towards them, his heart pounding, all he can think about is how much blood there us and that he can’t see who it’s coming from._

_“Carter!” He can’t hide the panic in his voice as he drops to his knees. Her assailant is dead, a knife protruding from his throat._

_“Off…” He releases the breath he hasn’t realised he’s been holding as he hears her, it’s barely audible but he heard her. “Off…” she wheezes, her hands weakly pushing against the dead man’s chest._  
_Jack rips him off of her, his hands are on her in immediately, checking for injuries as she lies, unable to move. He can’t tell how much of the blood is hers and how much is his and soon his own hands are covered. “I gotcha, you’re okay” he whispers, carefully pulling her up until she’s cradling his arms._

 

A strangled cry shakes him from his thoughts and he’s up and in her room in seconds. He finds her sat up, grasping her ribs, shaking and sweating as she struggles to catch a breath. 

 

“Breathe, Carter. You’re okay, you’re safe.” His hand cups her cheek as she reaches for him, fingers digging into his skin of his wrist, she pulls at him until he is sat against her on the bed. 

 

She needs to know that he’s real, that he’s here and that she’s safe. 

 

“It’s okay,” he speaks so softly and quietly, in a tone she’s never heard before. She continues to cling to him as her breathing becomes less laboured. She closes her eyes briefly as his thumb carefully strokes her bruised cheekbone. “It’s okay.”

 

 

~SJ~

 

_“You’re a goa’uld?” Sam spits, watching as a huge grin spreads across Aron’s face. He reaches for her arm, his fingers digging into her flesh as he drags her further and further away from the camp._  
_She pulls against his hold and is rewarded with a punch so hard it knocks her to the ground, her hand flies to her cheek as she struggles to focus, stunned by the blow. She moves to get up but he kicks her, hard. She cries out as she feels a rib snapping. He kicks again, harder and she collapses onto the ground._

_“It would be unwise for you to attempt that again,” Aron hauls her up and pulls her towards him until her body is pressed flush against his. “Move.”_

 

~SJ~

 

Jack’s hand remains on her cheek, the gentle stroke of his thumb is helping her to regulate her breathing. After a few moments she realises that she’s still gripping his wrist and forces herself to let go, he follows her lead and takes his hands off of her. He reaches for the water and the pain meds. She swallows them, one at a time.

 

~SJ~

 

_“Anubis has promised a great fortune to anyone who can deliver a member of SG1 to him,” Aron boasts, tugging her towards their destination. He cannot wait to present her to Anubis, to use the reward to rebuild his fleet and to break free from the shackles that have restricted him for so many years. She is bleeding and bruised but he is sure Anubis won’t mind._

 

_He stops, turning to face her. A smile spreads across his face as he sees a tiny flash of fear in her eyes._

 

_“He will be most pleased with you,” he trails the knife along her cheek, scratching but not breaking her skin. “You could be his new queen.”_

 

_“Over my dead body,” she speaks through gritted teeth._

 

_“Maybe.”_

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

When she is settled again and lying under the covers he moves off of the bed. She takes a shallow breath, as though she wants to say something and he looks at her. 

 

“I can stay in here?” he suggests, saving her the embarrassment of having to ask.  


 

~SJ~

 

 

_She stops struggling as the knife trails along her cheek, slicing into her skin, she gasps as it drags along her neck and collar bone. She can feel the blood trickling across her skin._

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

He reaches for her hand, their fingers intertwining as he lies next to her. They have done this once before, for comfort. He wishes that he could hold her properly, that he could wrap his arms around her but he couldn’t bear hurting her any more than she already is. He lies on top of the covers, still in his BDU’s not sure if she would be okay with him climbing under the covers with her. 

 

When he closes his eyes she’s there, covered in blood, her eyes wide with shock, her hands shaking. He remembers taking his jacket off, draping it over her shoulders in order to cover her exposed chest.

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

_She freezes as the knife cuts through the fabric of her shirt effortlessly; he stops only when he gets to her bra. He glares at her exposed chest and his eyes light up._

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

In the silence and darkness he can no longer avoid what has been playing on his mind since he found her. 

 

“Carter,” he speaks quietly. “Did he…”

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

_Aron lands on top of with a thud, knocking the wind out of her. “You are most beautiful,” he purrs, pressing his nose against her neck and inhaling. When he pulls back and meets her stare she sees something in his eyes that terrifies her. She feels a deep fear building in the pit pf her stomach, suddenly realising what his intentions are._

_“No!” She thrashes underneath him, the palms of her hands pushing against the hard planes of his chest, ignoring the pain that courses through her body. This isn’t happening, this can’t be happening._

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

She swallows the lump in her throat. “No.”

 

 

~SJ~

 

_She fights with every ounce of strength she has but nothing she does seems to deter him. He’s so much stronger than her and blocks every blow that her exhausted body tries to land. “No, no, no!” she cries out as he drops the knife and reaches for the button on her BDU’s._

 

_She bucks against him to no avail; he lets out a roar of laughter, enjoying the panic that is building within her as his free hand moves to grip her throat, cutting off her air supply._

 

 

~SJ~

 

“Because I killed him.”

 

~SJ~

 

_Aron’s eyes widen in shock as she slams the blade into his throat._

 

~SJ~

 

Jack tightens his grip on her fingers, unable to speak as a strange mixture of anger and relief whirl around his stomach. It takes him a few moments to pull himself together and when he does he all he can say is, “You did good, Carter.”

 

~SJ~

 

She wakes with a start several times in the night but with whispered words of reassurance he coaxes her back to sleep. He lies awake, thanking whoever will listen that she’s safe and that the son of a bitch who hurt her is dead. 

He wakes in the morning to find her head resting on his shoulder, he remembers her wincing as she’d edged towards him the night. He thinks about moving, about getting up and getting out of her room but he can’t. He needs to stay like this, with her safe in his arms, for just a little while longer. He’d almost lost her.

 

~SJ~

 

It takes about a week before she can move without severe pain. She spends almost the entire week in bed, unsure if it’s her injuries or the heavy duty pain killers that are making her so drowsy.

 

She’s grateful for the visits from her team as they deliver groceries. She doesn’t know who brought the flowers that sit in her kitchen but she thinks it was Jonas. 

 

Colonel O’Neill and Teal’c come in to her room to check on her often, to leave her food. They have small, meaningless conversations before leaving her to sleep. They make sure that she is never alone, each spending a night or two in her spare room, on hand if she needs them. 

 

She only realises this when Teal’c rushes to her while she’s in the middle of a bad dream in the dead of night. He quietly promises her that she’s safe and stays with her, perched on his knees at the side of her bed, until she falls back to sleep. 

 

The Colonel doesn’t get into bed with her again, he often stands at the side of her bed instead offering a steady source of comfort. She wakes once to find him on a chair (that usually sits in the kitchen) reading a book, one of hers.

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

It’s on the fifth night that she begins to think that she might be losing her mind. She wakes to find Daniel in the very chair that Colonel O’Neill had been sat in just hours before. She stares at him for a moment, her eyes filling with tears as he offers her a soft smile. She wants to tell him that she misses him, that life is so very different without him in it, but she’s too choked to speak. 

 

“I miss you too,” Daniel speaks with a tenderness that she has so deeply missed. A single tear slips down her cheek as he reaches for her hand and gently squeezes in reassurance. “You’re going to be okay.”

 

~SJ~

 

 

On the sixth morning she feels lighter, as though a fog has lifted and she slowly and painfully makes her way towards the kitchen. 

 

Teal’c and Jonas are surprised when she slowly sits at the table, used to her only appearing for a few seconds at a time. 

 

“You are feeling better.” Teal’c smiles, it isn’t a question. 

 

“I am.”

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

General Hammond tries to encourage her to take more time off but she only lasts two weeks before she’s back in her lab, examining some sort of power source found off world. SG1 watch her carefully, noting every flinch, every wince. She should probably be at home, they all know it. 

 

She wants to tell them that she has to be here, that she’s spent two weeks at home and that she’s driving herself crazy. She needs to do something.

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

Jack stares at her, his mouth wide as he tries to take in what she has just told him. Her bruises are fading, now a shade of yellow and green and her cuts are beginning to heal. 

 

“Carter,” he stops her mid-sentence, holding his hand up, his confusion evident. “Why would I want you to brush up on your hand to hand combat skills?” This is the first time he has managed to catch her alone all day and he wasn’t expecting the conversation to go this way. 

 

“Well, you may not want me to but don’t you think I should?” She had made the comment absentmindedly, the idea popping into her mind as she spoke to her CO but the more she thinks about it the more it feels like a good idea. 

 

“No.” 

 

“Sir, he managed to overpower me, to get me away from the camp.” She says, slightly irritated that she’s even having to explain this to him. How can he not see? 

 

“He had a knife-“

 

 

“I had a P90-“

 

“Carter, this isn’t your fault.” He watches as her shoulder tense and she takes a deep breath, her hand absentmindedly travelling to her damaged ribs. 

 

“I know,” she bites the inside of her cheek. She knows, but that doesn’t help. 

 

“You’re looking at this the wrong way.” He takes a step towards her as she frowns. “You had three broken ribs, a concussion, you’d lost a hell of a lot of blood and that’s just for starters, you still managed to kill him. You won.”

 

She has never thought about it that way, she takes a moment to take in what he has said. 

 

She doesn’t think about extra hand to hand combat training again.

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

She starts her compulsory therapy fifteen days after the attack. It helps. After a few weeks her dreams become less vivid, she starts to sleep through the night again.

 

 

~SJ~

 

 

It takes six weeks for her to be cleared for gate travel. The very next day she waits at the bottom of the ramp, itching to get through the gate. 

 

“To the land of trees and rocks, oh, joy!” Jack announces, watching as Sam hides a smirk. SG1 make their way towards the gate. 

 

“Colonel, I actually think it’s going to be really interesting. The rocks are said to have magnetic qualities that-“

 

“Jonas, I don’t care about the damn rocks-” 

 

“Gentlemen,” Sam interrupts, “shall we go?” 

 

“After you,” Jack gestures towards the gate with a grin. She disappears in a matter of seconds and he follows close behind.

 

 


	5. Season 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we are!
> 
> Thank you for all of the lovely comments, I've really appreciated each and every one. It's so lovely to read your thoughts. 
> 
> This one is actually very low on angst... I hope that you enjoy it. 
> 
> Heads up, the rating has changed to mature.

The party is just about finishing, Jack watches as the last few people either head towards the exit or towards the lift to their rooms. Hammond had been kind enough to commission a fancy party to celebrate his move to Washington. He would have been happy with everyone at his house for a barbeque and beer but Hammond had assured him that he deserved more. The hotel was lavish, the ballroom was elegant and big enough to fit everyone in that wanted to come, his backyard certainly wouldn’t have worked. 

He’d spent a fair amount of time this evening thinking about just how many people had turned up, sure, he had expected SG1, Walter, a few of the staff he’d spent time with since becoming CO of the base but almost every team had shown up, all personnel – apart from those still on duty. He was touched. It made the thought of leaving them all that little bit harder. 

He’d tried to keep his speech light, funny and short but he couldn’t leave without thanking them for everything that they had done and continue to do on a daily basis. He couldn’t speak to them all without mentioning those how had fallen in battle. He couldn’t leave without the people of the SGC knowing just how much he would miss them. His voice had cracked, he’d recovered quickly and he knew most people would have missed it. He couldn’t help feeling an intense sadness as he addressed them for the last time.

As the night went on he’d started feeling more apprehensive about his big move. He didn’t want to SGC behind, or SG1, he wasn’t ready to fully give them up. He understood why he had to go, he did, but he wasn’t ready. 

The people of the SCG had been his entire life for such a long time, they had kept him sane, they’d kept him alive, he didn’t want to say goodbye. He thinks for a moment of the man he was when he’d returned to the SGC after their mission to Abydos, he was a shell of his current self. The SCG and the Stargate programme allowed him to find his feet again, to feel again. It had given him three of the greatest friends he could ever have hoped to find and it had given him hope. 

He’s barely seen his team all night, he wanted nothing more than to find them and share a drink or two. He’d seen all three of them throughout the evening, several times he’d made a beeline for some of them but had been caught by someone wishing to say goodbye. 

“Sir, another?” The bartender asks, pointing to Jack’s empty glass. 

“Why not?” He tilts his glass, welcoming the whiskey. He’d been on beer all night, but a whiskey or two wouldn’t hurt. He takes his time to drink it before thanking the man and heading towards the lift. 

The members of SG1 had been insistent about staying in the hotel and spending the morning together before he has to fly off so he’d agreed. He’d stupidly agreed to share a room with Daniel, who, as always left his booking to the last minute, so last minute that there were no rooms left. He’d stupidly told Daniel that the room he had booked had two double beds and just like that he had a roommate. At the time he’d complained but now, as he enters the lift he’s glad. 

He’s glad that he gets to spend a few more hours with the younger man, with his friend. Daniel has always been a great source of comfort to him, comfort and irritation, but mostly comfort. He had dealt with heartache in a way that Jack never could, facing it head on and building a life around it. He’d fought passionately for everything that he believed in. Jack, in his last private conversation thanked him, Daniel had asked what for, and Jack had simply smiled, he knew what for, for saving his life all those years ago. Seconds later Jack had left him. He’ll miss listening to Daniel’s ridiculously long stories about rocks and myths. He’ll miss Daniel. 

As he exits the lift he starts to think about Teal’c, and just how much Teal’c has changed since their first meeting. He has softened, mellowed. He thinks about the amount of responsibility the Jaffa had carried in his first few years. He had fought alongside SG1 but Jack knows that it took time for him to really feel like a part of the team. Jack watches now, the way he interacts with Daniel and Carter and he knows that SG1 saved Teal’c, just as it had saved him. It saved him from a life of hell and gave him a life of freedom. It allowed him to free his people. He will never be able to thank Teal’c for taking a chance on him all those years ago but he hopes that Teal’c knows that without him none of it would have been possible. He’ll miss Teal’c wisdom and integrity, he’ll miss hearing him say ‘indeed’ and he’ll miss his quiet comfort in times if difficulty. He’ll miss Teal’c. 

Jack opens the door to the hotel and stops. He can’t help but let out a laugh. Daniel is passed out on top of the covers, lying diagonally across bed, still fully dressed. That’s not completely surprising; Daniel never could handle his drink. What is more surprising is the rather large jaffa in his bed, fast asleep under the covers. He stares at his two team mates and is instantly jealous that he missed watching this unfold, he then wonders where the hell he’s supposed to sleep. He thinks about getting into bed with Teal’c but he already takes up more than half of the bed, he’d get no sleep. He look across at Daniel who is spread eagle on his bed and knows that’s a non-starter. 

He takes one last look at them before stepping out of the room and closing the door. After a few moments he decided to call a car. He can get home, have a few hours and then come back in the morning for breakfast with the team. 

Jack thinks for just a second about knocking on Carter’s door, directly across from his, before deciding that it’s a bad idea. He’d been surprised to see her wheeling a small suitcase into her room, teasing that maybe she is a girl after all. He remembers seeing her in her dress just hours later, having to pull himself together, floored by just how stunning she looked. 

He’s been trying not to think about how much he’s going to miss Carter. It’s hard enough to say goodbye to Daniel and Teal’c but her? He doesn’t know where to start. He thinks about all of the things he’ll miss about her, her technobabble, the way her eyes light up when she comes up with a new way to save the world or blow something up, her smile, he loves her smile. 

He grins when he thinks about their first meeting, she was so desperate to prove herself, to show him that she should have been on that first mission. She was a pain in the ass. He doesn’t know when he stopped thinking of her that way, but he remembers that pretty soon in he started looking forward to seeing her, to hearing her talk about things that he would never understand. He thinks about when he realised that it was more than just an attraction, the moment that she begged him to leave her, to save himself, that moment that he realised that he couldn’t. He remembers having to confess his feeling in front of a room full of people, before he’d even truly managed to understand them for himself. He remembers the times that he thought he’d lost her, to death, to Pete. 

Those years had been hard, sometimes too hard. There had been times when he’d thought about retiring, but he was frightened about what would happen if he didn’t put up the fight against the Goa’uld, no point retiring if it means the world will end. He doesn’t think for a second that the war was won because of him but he knows that he would never have had a moment of rest knowing that the war was going on while he was sat at home with his feet up.

He’d thought about throwing caution to the wind, about turning up at her door and telling her that he couldn’t do it anymore, that he couldn’t go on without knowing how it felt to love her, to be loved by her. But she was destined to be so much more than a women who slept with her CO. He’s also come to realise that as much as he feels for her and as much as she may feel for him, she deserves more. She deserves someone younger who can give her everything that she wants.

He isn’t sure where he stands with Carter now, but he knows that he admires her more than he could even begin to describe. He is so proud of the officer that she has become, of the person she has become. He knows no one more compassionate than her. He knows that she’ll do incredible things. He thinks back to the Captain who had offered to arm wrestle him and he smiles. She’s come so far and even if he can’t love her like he wants to he’s happy to watch from the side lines as she conquers the world. 

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone and begins to dial. “It’s O’Neill,” he starts, trying to speak as quietly as he can. “I need a car-“ he stops, hearing the person on the other end asking him to repeat himself. “It’s O’neill. I need a car- Can you hear me?” he asks, slightly louder. “Hello? Hello?” He hangs up, clearly irritated and lets out a deep breath. “Piece of crap,” he mutters, shoving his phone back into his pocket. 

“Sir?”

He looks up, surprised to see her exiting the lift, walking towards him. She’s carrying her heels in her hand. 

“Carter, I thought you were asleep? You left the party an hour ago,” he winced, now she would know that he’d noticed her leaving. 

“I got stuck with Dr Lee,” she sighed, stopping when she reaches him. “He’s just spent the last hour trying to convince me that he could be the perfect for SG1. One too many beers. He finally agreed to tell the cab driver his address when I promised I’d think about it.” She rolls her eyes. 

“What are you doing out here?” she asks, with a frown. “Are you locked out?”

“Uh, something like that.” He steps towards his door and opens it, encouraging her to take a peek inside. She steps towards the door frame, a huge grin spreading across her face. She is stood next to   
him, almost close enough to touch him. 

“Daniel is such a lightweight…But Teal’c?”

“Surprising right?” Jack asks, watching as she nods. He loves how amusing she’s finding this. “I’m gonna miss this,” he mumbles, unable to stop the words as they tumble out of his mouth. 

“We’re going to miss you,” she speaks softly. She takes a small step backwards and rests her head on his shoulder. She never allows herself moments like this but he’s about to leave, they deserve a moment of comfort. 

His arm encircles her waist and he pulls her closer. It begins to dawn on him just how much he doesn’t want to leave them, her. 

“I liked your speech.” Sam had watched, struggling to stay composed as the realisation that he was leaving sank in and then she’d heard it, a tiny crack in his voice. This was just was hard for him as it was for her, for all of them. “I like that you included Janet,” she tells him, her arm coming to rest on his, her thumb gently stroking his hand. She smiles as she remembers his words about Janet and ‘huge honkin’ needles’.

He tightens his grip on her for just a second before letting go and stepping away from the doo, she follows his lead. He takes one last look at Daniel and Teal’c before closing the door. 

“I’m gonna go downstairs, see if I can phone for a car,” he gestures to the lift. 

She doesn’t want him to go. She wants to tell him that he can stay with her. 

“Night Carter,” he rasps, leaning forward to place a kiss on her cheek. He hesitates for just second before pulling back and heading towards the lift. He takes a couple of steps, hating himself for wanting more than he can ever have. He stops as he hears her voice. 

“Sir…” 

It takes just three steps from each of them before she’s in his arms; he holds her against his chest tightly and she clings to him as though he’s her only source of life. Her shoes fall to the ground. He feels her lips on his cheek, then again at the corner of his mouth. 

“Carter,” he whispers, unsure if he is warning or encouraging her. 

Sam presses her lips to his, its soft and light, testing his reaction. His hand gently trails across her back. Her hands curl around the back of his neck, deepening the kiss, daring to move against his mouth. She gasps as he meets her kiss with his own, suddenly becoming an active participant rather than a stunned witness, he wraps his arms around her waist pulling her flush against him. 

She moans into his mouth as his hands roam across her back and hips, she can’t believe that this is finally happening. Suddenly his lips are gone, wrenched from hers. He rests his forehead against hers, he’s still holding her against him. He’s takes a moment, struggling to catch his breath. “Carter…” he whispers, closing his eyes, trying to compose himself. “This is a bad idea.” He unwraps himself from her body and takes a step away. He watches as her shoulders sag, embarrassment beginning to creep across her features. “Not because…” he shakes his head, this isn’t because he doesn’t want her, he does. 

“Jack,” the use of his first name catches him off guard. “We’ve paid our dues; we’ve tried to move on from this.” She takes a shaky breath. “I don’t want to leave it in that room anymore.”

“Carter, I’m an old man-“

“I know who you are, I know what I want.” She has no idea where this newfound confidence is from but she won’t give up, not now, not after waiting for such a long time. 

Again, he takes a step away. “I should go.” He wants her more than he’s ever wanted anything in his life but he’s so afraid of disappointing her, of letting her down. “You deserve better,” he admits, knowing that after eight years she deserves complete and total honesty. He wants her to have a life that’s he will love, kids, a white picket fence, everything he isn’t sure he can give her. 

Sam says nothing, taking in what he has said. After a few moments she takes a step forward, her fingers trails across his cheek, her thumb strokes across his cheek bone. “There is no one better,” she speaks softly, there is no trace of anger or confusion in her voice. She understands why he feels this way but she needs him to know that he is wrong. “No one.”

Sam reaches out, opening her hand, encouraging him to take it. “It’s time.” 

“It’s time,” Jack repeats slowly, moving towards her. His fingers reach for hers and in seconds they’re intertwined. 

Sam squeezes his hand, an act of reassurance as they move towards her hotel room. He steps behind her she unlocks the door. As it clicks open she turns to him, she steps into the room and gently pulls him in. The door closes behind them.

 

**

 

They take their time. Sam had once thought that their first time together would be frantic but it’s anything but. She had pushed to get them to this point but as soon as the hotel door was closed, as soon as he’d accepted that this is exactly what she wanted, he’d snapped into action, stripping her of her clothes, easing her down onto the bed and climbing on top of her.

He moves above her with ease, kissing , touching and tasting every inch of her body. 

When he finally pushes into her she can’t help but moan into the crook of his neck. Her fingers dig into his shoulders as he gives her time to accommodate to his size. He cups her cheek and presses his forehead against hers, “Carter,” he exhales and leans down to capture her lips. He can’t believe that they’re finally here. He wants to savour every second. 

“Jack,” she gasps against his mouth, her hands slide to his neck, pulling him impossibly closer, kissing him with a fierce passion, sliding her tongue into his mouth. She rolls her hips, she’s ready. 

He follows her lead, pulling out almost completely before pushing back in. He groans as she whimpers and tightens her grip on him. 

He has never felt like this before. 

They move together as though they’ve been doing this for years. Eventually she wraps her legs around his waist, desperate to feel even more of him and cries out as a wave of pleasure surges through her. His rhythm falters and with one hand he steadies himself against the headboard as she clenches around him. Her breath comes in urgent gasps as his thrusts quicken and he grunts as he slides in and out of her body. 

He knows that she is close but he might be closer so he reaches between their bodies and can’t help but smile as she bucks against his hand. 

“Jack,” she cries out as she threads her fingers through his hair. “Yes,” she presses her lips into the crook of his neck, her moans are muffled as she feels the familiar pull of pleasure. In just seconds she’s tightening around him, practically whining as he moves within her. He follows quickly and calls her name as he stills and pushing her hips into the mattress. “God, Carter!” He exhales, collapsing   
on top of her and captures her lips with his. 

Her fingers skim his bare back, his neck and thread through his hair, she can’t stop touching him. She can’t believe that it’s finally happened. 

“That was...” he exhales, unable to find the words to describe what has just happened between them. 

“I know,” she kisses him again, certain that she’ll never get tired of feeling his lips against hers. “I know.”

 

**

 

Daniel grumbles as he drops down next to Teal’c and across from Sam and Jack at the breakfast table the next morning. 

“Mornin’” Jack smirks, delighting in Daniel’s hangover. Daniel grunts in response and downs a glass of water. 

“Shut up.” He looks up with a frown, “Where did you sleep last night?” 

“Well, seeing as you and Teal’c had a sleepover in my room I had to go home. I just got here before you guys came down.” It’s almost scary how easily the lie tumbles out of his mouth. 

“Why didn’t you just share with Sam?” Daniel moves the food in front of him around the plate, he misses the brief look of panic that flashes across Sam’s face. 

“Thought about it, didn’t want to wake her. Didn’t seem fair that ruin her sleep because you ruined mine.”

“Again, I apologise O’Neill.” Teal’c offers. He had apologised and explained what had happened as soon as he had seen O’Neill, Colonel Carter had joined them moments later.

“I just can’t believe that you got drunk, and I missed it!” Jack huffs. 

“What?” Daniel asks, only to be interrupted as Sam and Jack’s mobiles begin to ring. They excuse themselves from the table. 

“You weren’t drunk,” Daniel turns to Teal’c. 

“No, I was not.”

“So why did you…” Daniel trails off, suddenly his eyes widen. “You wanted him to go to Sam? You slept in his bed so that he couldn’t.” Daniel is stunned by his friend’s revealing nod. “Teal’c!”

“I will not apologise.”

“No, I don’t think you should. It’s just a shame that he didn’t take the bait. Typical Jack, I can’t believe he went home.” 

“Indeed,” Teal’c nods, careful not to reveal anything but Daniel frowns. 

“Wait a minute… He didn’t go home?” 

“O’Neill told us that he went home.”

“But you know something, I know you Teal’c, you’re hiding something.” He freezes, his eyes wide. “Did he- Did they- Oh my God.”

“Sorry, minor emergency,” Jack returns and slides back into his seat, “Carter’s sorting it.” He reaches for his juice, stopping as he meets Daniel’s stare. “What?”

“Uh, nothing. I just… I’m sorry that we ruined your night, that’s all.” There are so many things that he wants to say but now isn’t the time. He doesn’t want to embarrass them, he knows that they’ll tell him when the time is right. 

“Don’t worry about it, you didn’t,” he shoves as spoonful of cereal into his mouth. “I had a good night,” he tells his friends, unaware that they know exactly how good a night he’d had. 

He had spent hours learning Carter’s body, learning what made her unravel, what made her moan and fall part in his arms. He’d had barely any sleep, instead choosing to kiss, touch and taste the woman that he had wanted for years, he’d never felt more energised. She’d moved underneath and on top of him multiple times during the night, her groans, gasps and whimpers spurring him on, encouraging him. He’d never had a night like it. 

They’d promised that this was the beginning of their life together, rather than a way of saying goodbye. He’d held her as she’d slept, unable to believe that he could ever be this lucky. 

He’d been hard pressed to leave her bed this morning, tearing his lips from hers as she reminded him that they weren’t ready for anyone to know yet. He’d been at the table for just a few minutes before Teal’c had joined him. 

When Sam comes back to the table she assures them that everything is fine. Daniel begins to speak, he can’t quite believe that Jack is leaving today. She feels a sinking feeling in her stomach but tries to smile through it, his fingers skim hers under the table, a gentle squeeze to reassure her that they will be okay. 

She returns the sentiment, her fingers tightening around his. They’ll be more than okay.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s not due to see her for another three weeks but a cancelled diplomatic visit has given him the opportunity to fly home to surprise her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! 5 turned into 6. This has been on my mind for a while. Bed is just such a great place for them.
> 
> Thank you so much for the comments and love for this fic.

Jack slowly and quietly climbs the stairs of his house in darkness. It’s been weeks since he’s seen his home, even longer since he’s seen his wife. Washington and Atlantis have conspired to keep them apart for months and he’s desperate to see her, to hold her. 

He’s not due to see her for another three weeks but a cancelled diplomatic visit has given him the opportunity to fly home to surprise her. He remembers the disappointment in her voice when he’d told her that even though she would be on earth he wouldn’t be able to see her. He finds those weekends harder than all of the others, knowing that she’s hours away from him rather than lightyears and that he still can’t see her. He thanks whoever is listening that his schedule was unexpectedly cleared because the long distance is starting to become unbearable. 

He has dealt with long distance before, and it was hard before but he doesn’t remember ever being quite so difficult. Perhaps it’s being behind a desk? When he was away from Sarah he was always doing something, the adrenaline was always running leaving him barely enough time to think about what he was missing at home. While he knows that what he’s doing now is important, it gives him much more time to think about what he’s missing while he is separated from the woman he loves. 

He pauses as he reaches the bedroom door, instantly feeling a sense of calm and relief washing over him as he sees her, asleep in their bed. God, he’s missed her. He steps towards her, moving towards the bed, quietly stripping until he’s in only his boxers. He slips into the bed without waking her knowing that he should leave her to sleep, that she must be exhausted but his fingers ache with the need to touch her; It’s been so long since he’s had the chance. 

He moves towards her until his chest is pressed against her back; he can’t remember the last time that he felt this content, all the stress that his new role brings slowly melts away as he holds her close and allows himself to just be. 

He feels her shifting against him, her breathing shifts and he knows that she’s waking up. He presses a kiss onto her shoulder and smiles as she turns to face him. 

“Hi,” he whispers.

“Hi,” she inches closer to him until her chest is against his. Her thumb gently trails across his cheek.

He loves that she doesn’t ask why or how he’s here. He kisses the pad of her thumb as it swipes across his bottom lip. “Missed you,” he speaks quietly. His fingers skim up and down her back underneath her tshirt. 

She stares at him, her eyes trailing across his face. “Missed you.” She presses her lips to his as he pulls her impossibly closer. 

He loves her like this, before her brilliant brain kicks in and she remembers that she has to manage an entire crew, keep them safe and save the world all at the same time. It had   
taken just a few days into their relationship for Jack to realise that a barely awake Samantha Carter was one if his very favourite things.

“Go back to sleep,” he murmurs against her lips. It’s the last thing that he wants her to do but he knows that she must exhausted. Their contact was limited but he knew that she had had a rough ride over the last few weeks both physically and emotionally. 

“Mm-mm,” Sam shakes her head, deepening the kiss. Her hand cups the back of his neck as his tongue finds hers. 

In just minutes she sinks onto him with a moan, his fingers grip her hips tightly and she hears him swallow a groan. She is still until his fingers begin to slide along her sides and back, then she slowly rocks her hips and it begins.

It’s slow, lazy and intense. He loves watching her as she moves on top of him.

His hands travel all over her body, eventually pulling her towards him so that he can latch on to her breast. She gasps as his tongue swirls around her nipple and his hands grasp her ass, encouraging her hips as they glide up and down, back and forth.

“Ah, Jack,” she cradles his face in her hands, pulling until he’s sat up with his lips against hers and his tongue in her mouth. She loves it like this, just, like, this. 

They move in perfect sync, his hips rising to meet hers as she moves on top of him. “I’m close,” he warns.

“Mmmm, me too.”

Neither one increases the pace, there’s no need. This isn’t a frantic chase for release, it’s about closeness, about feeling every inch of the other. 

“Jack,” she whimpers as her orgasm hits and she tightens around him. In seconds his hands are on her hips holding her tightly in place as he thrusts up and empties himself inside of her. 

“Carter,” he kisses her neck as his hold on her hip loosens and she slowly moves as he softens inside of her. 

Sam loves it when he calls her Carter, she kisses him and hold him tightly against her. These are the moments she longs for when she’s millions and millions of miles away from him. 

Later, when she is asleep and splayed on top of him, her head resting on his shoulder, he prays to whoever will listen that the world can save itself for the next 24 hours.


End file.
